Tube-scraping apparatus



L. F. LECHTENBERG.

TUBE SCRAPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, I917.

1,343,215, I 1 Patented Julie 15, 1920.

5f au 's UNITED STATES OFFME;

LEO r. LECHTENBERG, or QUINCY, iLLiivoIs AssIenoit, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

ROWSEY GASOLINE-PROCESS COMPANY,

or KANsAs.

T0 all'whonmt may concern:

' Be it known that I, LEI) F. LiiciiTEN} BERG, a citizen of the United States of America, a' resident of Quincy, in the county of Adams, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Scraping,Apparatus, of which the ratus used in the distillation of hydrocarbon oils. One ofthe objects of the invention is to provide efiicient means for cleaning the inner faces of'thef tubes. More specifically stated, one of the objects is to produce an improved scraper feeding mechanism,

and another object is to provide an efficient" scraper, adapted to coiiperate with said feeding mechanism.

lVith the foregoing and other objeets in view the intention comprises the novel construction, combination -j and arrangements of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Figure I is a vertical cross section.

Fi II is an enlarged cross section on line I-II, Fig. I.

Fig. III, is an enlarged cross section on line IIIIII, Fig. II.

In the drawings I have shown portions of an apparatus for use in the distillation of hydrocarbon oils, such ort-ions comprising a header A and tubes in communication with said headeig these parts being those of a still in which hydrocarbon oils are treated to crack them. In the use of such parts in oil cracking operations there is a constant tendency toward the collection ofcoke and carbon upon the inner surfaces of the tubes B, and if the accumulations are not removed from time to time the tubes become partially or wholly clogged and there is serious interference with the carrying out of the intended oil cracking opera- TIJBQi-scitiirine APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 15 Aiipiiatian filed May 7, 1917. Serial No 166,833. I I

tions. The apparatus to which my present invention pertains is intended to be so assoas those described, as to be constantly ready for service, and operable when required, for. the removal of accumulations of carbon and coke froi'ntlie interier surfaces of the tubes of the still. I I

or HUIVIBOLDT, KANSAS,A CORPORATION q 'c'iated with the members of an oil still, such Proceedinenow to the dcscribtionof my scraping apparatus. 0 designates circular scrapers movable to and fro longitudinally within the tubes 13, each of these serapers comprising a perforate central portion surrounded by a rim 1 and having a central hub 2 (see Fig. II). .The frifin ,ofeach scraper is. coi'ica'ved transversely at its pe-- riphery, thereby providingat each edge of the mm a scraping edge which is adapted to move adjacent to the inner wall of a tube i I in which'the scraper is situated to separa'te' accumulatio'i'is'of carbon or coke fromsaid wall. One of the 'rim edges justinentioned is effective when the sc aper is moved in one direction, and the other edge is effective when thescrapr is moved in t the opposite direction. i

The scrapers C are made of perforate form to permit movement of the contents of the still through the tubes B, notwithstanding the presence of the scrapers therein, and it is obvious that accumulations of carbon and coke in the openings in the scrapers will occur in the same manneras they occur upon the interior walls of the tubes B. I therefore provide for the removal of accumulations from the openings in the scrapers by mounting at one end of each tuloe B a scraper cleaner D, comprising a head-3 and a plurality ofseparated punches 4L, the number of which is preferably equal to the num ber of openings inthe scrapermovable toward and away from a particular cleaner D. It will be readily understood that when a scraper C is moved to a cleaner D, the punches of the latter may be readily caused to pass through theopenings in the scraper to dislodge accumulations therefrom.

The scrapers C are intended to move longitudinally of the tubes in which they are of the means for operating one of the scrapers may be considered to apply with reference to the operation of the others.

- ,6 designates a feed screw extending longitudinally of a tube B and to which the screw threaded hub of thescraper C in said tube is fitted. Obviously, inasmuch as the scraper, is held from rotation in the tube, as previously explained, it will be caused to travel longitudinally in the tube When the feed screw is turned in one direction, and it will travel longitudinally in thetube in a reverse direction when the feed screw is 1'0- tated reversely, and in each direction of the movement of the scraper the foremost edge at the periphery of the scraper will act to sever accumulations of carbon or coke from the inner wall of the tube. V

i The scraper operating mechanism of my tube scraping apparatus includes means whereby the direction of rotation of the feed screw is automatically reversed as the scraper reaches the limit of its travel in either direction, and this means will be hereinafter described. The feedscrew 6 is provided at one end, which extends into the header A, with a bevel pinion 7 arranged in mesh with a bevel gear wheel 8 fixed to a feed screw operating shaft 9 extending longitudinally in the header A. r

In the operation of my apparatus the tube scrapers C are moved longitudinally in vthe tubes B, first toward one end of each tube and then toward the opposite end of each tube,'these movements of the scrapers being occasioned by the rotation of the feed screws 6, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Each time that a scraper reaches the end of a tube at which the cleaner D is located the punches of the cleaner pass through the openings in the scraper and dislodge any accumulation that may have taken place therein. All of the feed screws6 are operated by the feed screw operatingshaft. 9, which is rotated first in one direction and then in theopposite direction.

I claim 1. In a tube scraping device, a perforated scraper adapted to engage the inner face of a tube, and a scraper cleaner provided with projecting portions adapted to extend through the openings in the scraper to remove accumulations of material therefrom.

2. In a tube scraping device, a perforated scraper adapted to engage the inner face of a tube, a scraper cleaner provided with projecting portions adapted to extend through the openings in the scraper to remove accumulations of material therefrom, and means for reciprocating said scraper to scrape material from the inner face of the tube, said scraper'cleaner being located atone end of the path of movement of said scraper. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto alfix m si nature.

L O LEUHTENBERG. 

